Clinical Tool
Clinical Pathways
12 curated decision shortcuts that pre-populate the drug comparison tool with the agents most relevant to a given clinical question. Each tile names its source guideline. Click a tile to open the comparison loaded with those drugs.
Depression
MDD first-line — SSRI selection
Compare four CANMAT/NICE first-line SSRIs on side effects, dosing, and interactions to match the patient profile.
sertralineescitalopramfluoxetinecitalopram
CANMAT 2023 · NICE NG222 · Cipriani 2018 NMACompare 4 →
MDD partial response — augmentation
Evidence-based add-ons after partial SSRI/SNRI response. CANMAT 2023 prefers earlier augmentation over serial monotherapy switching; aripiprazole led VAST-D.
aripiprazolebrexpiprazolequetiapinelithium
CANMAT 2023 · VAST-D (Mohamed 2017)Compare 4 →
MDD switch — failed first SSRI
Cross-class switch options at adequate dose/duration failure: NDRI, SNRI, NaSSA, and multimodal. Different mechanisms, different tradeoffs.
bupropionvenlafaxinemirtazapinevortioxetine
CANMAT 2023 · STAR*D switch armsCompare 4 →
Anxiety
GAD first-line — SSRI vs SNRI
SSRIs and SNRIs are co-equal first-line per Katzman/CANMAT anxiety guidelines. Compare profiles to pick by side effects and comorbidity.
escitalopramsertralinevenlafaxineduloxetine
Katzman et al. 2014 (CANMAT anxiety)Compare 4 →
Anxiety in older adults — Beers-aware
Lower-anticholinergic, lower-fall-risk options when benzodiazepines and paroxetine are off the table per Beers Criteria.
sertralineescitaloprambuspironemirtazapine
AGS Beers 2023 · CCSMH 2024Compare 4 →
Psychosis
First-episode psychosis — initial agent
Lower-EPS, lower-metabolic-burden agents favored as first-line in FEP. Olanzapine deferred for metabolic load; haloperidol for EPS load.
aripiprazolerisperidonepaliperidonelurasidone
APA 2020 · EUFEST · PAFIP 3-yrCompare 4 →
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia
After two adequate antipsychotic trials of ≥6 weeks per TRRIP criteria, clozapine is the only TRS-approved agent. Compare against the two it most often replaces.
clozapineolanzapinerisperidone
TRRIP 2017 (Howes et al.) · APA 2020Compare 3 →
LAI candidates — oral pre-conversion compare
Common oral antipsychotics with marketed LAI counterparts. Compare oral profiles before LAI conversion (LAI-specific compare lives at /lai-comparison).
aripiprazolepaliperidonerisperidoneolanzapine
APA 2020 (LAI in adherence-vulnerable)Compare 4 →
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar I depression — first-line monotherapy
CANMAT/ISBD 2023 first-line monotherapies for acute bipolar I depression, ranked by efficacy, tolerability, and switch risk.
quetiapinelurasidonelamotriginelithium
CANMAT/ISBD 2018 + 2023 updateCompare 4 →
Acute mania — mood stabilizer vs SGA
First-line monotherapy options for acute mania per CANMAT/ISBD. Lithium and valproate as classical mood stabilizers; olanzapine and aripiprazole as the highest-evidence first-line SGAs.
lithiumvalproateolanzapinearipiprazole
CANMAT/ISBD 2018 + 2023 updateCompare 4 →
ADHD
ADHD first-line — stimulant class choice
Both methylphenidate and amphetamine families are first-line per AAP 2019 / NICE NG87. ~40% of patients respond preferentially to one class — the other is a reasonable next step before non-stimulants.
methylphenidatedexmethylphenidateamphetamine saltslisdexamfetamine
AAP 2019 · NICE NG87Compare 4 →
ADHD non-stimulant — second-line / contraindication
Non-stimulant options after stimulant non-response, intolerance, comorbid tics, or substance-use risk. AAP-endorsed evidence ordering.
atomoxetineguanfacineviloxazineclonidine
AAP 2019 · FDA labelsCompare 4 →